Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.33.8

← 1.33.7 1.34.1 →

Passage 1.33.8: Pheidias' sculpture of Helen led to Nemesis with Tyndareus and other heroes

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

ταῦτα ἀκηκοὼς Φειδίας πεποίηκεν Ἑλένην ὑπὸ Λήδας ἀγομένην παρὰ τὴν Νέμεσιν, πεποίηκε δὲ Τυνδάρεών τε καὶ τοὺς παῖδας καὶ ἄνδρα σὺν ἵππῳ παρεστηκότα Ἱππέα ὄνομα· ἔστι δὲ Ἀγαμέμνων καὶ Μενέλαος καὶ Πύρρος ὁ Ἀχιλλέως, πρῶτος οὗτος Ἑρμιόνην τὴν Ἑλένης γυναῖκα λαβών· Ὀρέστης δὲ διὰ τὸ ἐς τὴν μητέρα τόλμημα παρείθη, παραμεινάσης τε ἐς ἅπαν Ἑρμιόνης αὐτῷ καὶ τεκούσης παῖδα. ἑξῆς δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ βάθρῳ καὶ Ἔποχος καλούμενος καὶ νεανίας ἐστὶν ἕτερος· ἐς τούτους ἄλλο μὲν ἤκουσα οὐδέν, ἀδελφοὺς δὲ εἶναι σφᾶς Οἰνόης, ἀφʼ ἧς ἐστι τὸ ὄνομα τῷ δήμῳ.

English Translation

Having heard these stories, Pheidias depicted Helen being led by Leda to Nemesis; he also made Tyndareus and his children, and nearby a man standing with a horse named Hippeus. There are also Agamemnon, Menelaus, and Pyrrhus, son of Achilles—this Pyrrhus was the first husband of Helen's daughter Hermione. As for Orestes, because of his daring deed against his mother, he is left aside; still, Hermione stayed with him always and bore him a child. Next on the pedestal there is one named Epochus and another youth as well; about these two I have heard nothing else, but they are said to be brothers of Oinoe, after whom the deme is named.

Proper Nouns

Nemesis (Νέμεσις) deity
Leda (Λήδα) person
Menelaus (Μενέλαος) person
Pyrrhus (Πύρρος) person
Tyndareus (Τυνδάρεως) person
Pheidias (Φειδίας) person
Agamemnon (Ἀγαμέμνων) person
Achilles (Ἀχιλλεύς) person
Helen (Ἑλένη) person
Hermione (Ἑρμιόνη) person
Epochus (Ἔποχος) person
Also in: 8.45.7
Hippeus (Ἱππέας) person
Orestes (Ὀρέστης) person
Oinoe (Οἰνόη) place Q17524320
← 1.33.7 1.34.1 →